CITAD and Fantsuam Foundation Request to Pilot TV White Spaces to Provide Internet Access to Rural Communities.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.
The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in collaboration with Fantsuam Foundation has presented a request to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) seeking to undertake a pilot of the abundant Television White Spaces in order to provide affordable broadband in the under-served communities in Nigeria. The request was presented by Y.Z Ya’u and John Dada highlighted the unlimited benefits and advantages of the TV White Spaces especially in helping to provide internet connection to particularly rural communities efficiently and at low cost, a situation that will promote internet access for development. TV White Space is the unused spectrum in the UHF television bands and is in the 600 MHz frequency range and enables wireless signals to travel over hills and through buildings and trees. By providing internet access using unlicensed spectrum (TVWS) and inexpensive wireless equipment, youths can access e-Learning government programmes,without having to go the cities. Receiving the request, NCC Kano Zonal Director Malam Adamu Amshi assured the two organizations NCC’s support to the initiative and promised to look at and forward to the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta for consideration.